2) In a population of short, ground-dwelling animals, some offspring were produced that were approximately 1 cm taller than others in the population. This group was able to reach slightly higher vegetation than the rest of the population.

Question

When these animals grew up, they were able to produce more offspring than other animals in the population. This pattern jhere the tallest animals were more likely to survive and reproduce, continued overseveral generations. Eventually, after many generations, all members of the population were at least 20 cm taller than animals of the original population had been. What does this illustrate?

Answer 1

This scenario illustrates the concept of natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on those traits to their offspring. In this case, the taller individuals had an advantage in reaching higher vegetation, leading to increased survival and reproductive success. Over time, this advantageous trait became more prevalent in the population, resulting in all members of the population eventually being taller than their ancestors. This process is a key mechanism in evolution, as it drives the adaptation of populations to their environments over generations.